Fire Debris Fire debris is submitted to laboratories for analysis by the fire marshal, crime scene investigators, forensic scientists, and insurance investigators. Investigators determine the best locations at the scene to collect samples, based on suspicious details.

Suspicious Circumstances The presence of: ignitable liquid (combustible) accelerants (increase the rate of combustion) These are frequently detected by canines trained to detect ignitable liquids by smelling the fire debris. Investigators can also detect the presence of these liquids from pour patterns that remain on the burnt substrate after the fire.

Pour Patterns Pour patterns often are characterized by intermixed light, medium, and heavy burning in a puddle shape that corresponds to the shape of the original pool of the ignitable liquid.

Suspicious Circumstances Other indicators of ignitable liquid: unnatural flame movement (downward or too fast) gapping of wood or floor seams (caused by pooling of liquid) damage with no identifiable point of origin burned out flooring beneath appliances and furniture Inverted cone shaped burn patterns on vertical surfaces

Fire Debris Sampling Sample areas likely to contain traces of ignitable liquid: lowest regions of burned area insulated areas within the pattern porous substrates in contact with the pattern cloth paper products wood seams or cracks lightly burned edges of the pattern

Collecting Fire Debris Once an appropriate area has been identified for sampling, samples are collected for later analysis. Samples are collected in a tightly sealed container (glass jar or metal can).

Collecting Fire Debris Sample should fill 2/3 of the container. Top 1/3 of container is used for sampling headspace.

Passive Headspace Sampling In passive headspace sampling the container is heated to volatilize any ignitable liquids remaining in the sample. Activated charcoal is suspended in the headspace to absorb the volatilized liquid. The charcoal is then removed from the sample container and the liquid is removed from it by solvent extraction.

Solvent Extraction Carbon disulfide is frequently used in solvent extraction because it produces excellent desorption of most accelerants. It also produces a low detector response when analyzed by a gas chromatograph using a flame ionization detector. Unfortunately, carbon disulfide is a health hazard because it can cause nervous system damage.

GC-MS After the solvent is extracted it is analyzed with a gas chromatograph – mass spectrometer (GC-MS). The liquid is injected into the GC and carried through the instrument by an inert carrier gas (called the mobile phase). The liquid then permeates a column (long thin tubing) which binds the liquid to a polymer coating on the inside (called the stationary phase). This separates the liquid components by volatility.

GC-MS More volatile components move faster through the column. The components come off of the column separately during the elution step and enter the mass spectrometer. The mass spectrometer separates each component based upon the mass-to-charge ratio of their particles. The mass spectrum of the sample is then compared to a library of known compounds to identify the compound in the sample.

Presumptive Testing GC-MS analysis can be time consuming and expensive. A presumptive test can be performed quickly in the field to indicate the presence of an ignitable liquid. Colorimetric gas detection tubes are used for this purpose.

Presumptive Testing Colorimetric gas detection tubes are filled with a compound designed to react with a specific compound of interest (gasoline, diesel fuel, etc.) To perform the test, both ends of the glass tube are broken off. Air from the scene is drawn through the tube with a pump.

Presumptive Testing In the presence of specific vapors, the compound within the tube will change color. The concentration of the compound may be estimated but this technique is not very accurate.

Presumptive Testing If the presumptive test is positive, then samples will be collected for GC-MS analysis. In some labs, this is used for preliminary screening of samples.